Chicken Marengo

I took a week off from the recipe swap, but when I came back, the theme was "Celebrity Chef" recipe. I submitted a pesto recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis. In return, I got this recipe, originally from Melissa d'Arabian, courtesy of Katie from So Tasty, So Yummy. It was a delicious dinner! I have added vegetables to pasta dishes before, but this dish had such a rich flavor from the addition of the tomato paste, broth, and wine. I made the recipe exactly as it was written, since I figured it would be a pain to use only a portion of the can of tomatoes, and it was enough to feed an army! Joel and I both had a pretty healthy serving size for dinner, a good amount for lunch the next day, and there was STILL some left over! This would be a perfect recipe to make for a crowd. I can see this becoming a new family favorite! Thanks for sharing, Katie!

3 Chicken Cutlets, sliced into thin paillards
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup Flour
3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 Sweet Onion, sliced
8 ounces Mushrooms, sliced
1Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and julienned
3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1/2 cup Red Wine
1 cup Chicken Broth
1 (14 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon Butter

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste, and lightly dredge the paillards in flour. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; add chicken. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 3 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. If necessary, add more oil to the pan. Then add the onions, mushrooms, and peppers and sauté until softened and fragrant, but not limp, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes to cook out the raw flavor. Turn up the heat and add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits that were stuck to the bottom. Let the wine reduce for about 2-3 minutes, then add the broth and tomatoes. When the mixture begins to bubble, add the chicken back to the pan and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is warmed through, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter. Serve over pasta.

Lemon Thyme Chicken

Last Wednesday, Joel went to the doctors for a physical. He had a 3:30 appointment and had to leave work a little early in order to make it. At about 4:15, I got a text from him saying that he was still waiting to be called back. It seemed as if he was annoyed, especially since I was the one who wouldn't leave him alone about making an appointment. By the time I looked at the clock again, it was 5:00, and I was getting yet another text from him saying that he STILL had not been called. He finally was called back at 5:30, after 2 hours of waiting, only to be told he was just fine and that the doctor didn't need to see him again for another five years! I knew how agitated he was, so the least I could do was have dinner on the table, waiting for him when he walked in the door. I made this chicken dish from Annie's Eats. It was, by far, one of the best chicken dishes I have ever made at home. I'm talking restaurant quality, on a plate in my own dining room! I had planned on making plain white rice to serve along side, but after reading Annie's post about her garlic rice pilaf (which I'll post soon), I had a quick change of heart, and I'm so glad I did. I honestly don't know which part of this meal I liked more!

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, butterflied
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup Flour
1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves, minced
1/2 cup Dry White Wine
3/4 cup Chicken Broth
Juice from 1 Lemon
3 tablespoons Butter (I used about 1 1/2 and it was just fine)

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and sauté until lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes per side, and a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees in the thickest part of the chicken. Remove the chicken to a plate, tent with foil, and set aside. Add a small drizzle of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and add the garlic and thyme leaves to the pan and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Take the pan off the heat and add the wine, scraping the bottom to loosen the brown bits that may have remained from the chicken. Return the pan to the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the chicken broth. Reduce until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and butter, whisking until the butter is completely melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately, spooning the sauce over the chicken.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Joel is a fan of literary magazines. One that he reads regularly is the quarterly McSweeney's. The people from that magazine have now launched Lucky Peach, which is a quarterly journal of food and writing. It comes to our house four times per year (well, it will, but it is only on issue 3 so far). Within its pages, there are interviews with chefs, recipes, and other associated food writing. It is a very interesting read and I enjoy it, but then again, any magazine with recipes in it would be hard for me to dislike! In the most recent issue, Spring 2012 Issue 3, there was an article about Ed LaDou, Wolfgang Puck's first pizza chef at Spago, who later created the menu at California Pizza Kitchen. While the recipe that they provided belonged to Puck, the sauce for this pizza was inspired by a barbecue sauce that LaDou had created in a collaboration with a barbecue sauce company. Though I did not use the recommended brand of barbecue sauce, this pizza was absolutely delicious! Mentioned as an alternative for the fontina and mozzarella cheeses was smoked gouda, which I know would have been a hit in our house. As great as this pizza was, I think that it might also be delicious grilled. I definitely plan to make it again, and next time, perhaps I will make those two changes.

3/4 pound Chicken, cooked and shredded
1/4 cup Barbecue Sauce
1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced*
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, grated
2 cups Fontina Cheese, grated
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 recipe Pizza Dough (recipe below, I used one and froze the other)
1 bunch Cilantro Leaves, washed and chopped
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cook the chicken however you desire (I boiled mine). Shred the chicken with two forks and place it in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then toss it with the barbecue sauce and set aside. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees and place a pizza stone on the middle rack. Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel and stretch out the dough to an 8-10" round. Brush a little olive oil over the top of the dough and top with chicken and onions. Sprinkle the cheeses over the top and slide the pizza onto the baking sone. If you wish to bake the pizza, bake until the crust is nicely browned, about 10-12 minutes. Alternatively, turn on the broiler and, with the pizza stone on the top shelf, broil 3-5 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned and cheese is bubbly, keeping a careful watch to be sure that the pizza does not burn. Remove the pizza to a cutting board and sprinkle the top with cilantro. Cut and serve.

*I chose to use the red onions raw, but the original recipe suggests tossing them in salt and pepper and sautéing them in a tablespoon of olive oil for 2-3 minutes first before spreading them on the pizza.

The Dough (My Bread, Jim Lahey):

500 grams Bread Flour
10 grams Yeast
5 grams Table Salt
3 grams Sugar
300 grams Water, room temperature

Use a food scale to measure out the ingredients. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Pour in the water and stir until just combined. Cover the bowl and let it sit in a warm location for 2 hours. Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Split the dough into 2 equal pieces and let them sit, covered, for about 30 minutes prior to baking. At this point, you can wrap the dough and freeze it.

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie

One of the most underutilized appliance in my kitchen is my crockpot. Sure I use it occasionally, but not nearly enough. When I got the February 2012 issue of Real Simple magazine in the mail, I was excited to see that there was a whole section dedicated to crockpot recipes. In fact, the photo on the cover of these pot pies were enough to make me drool, so I immediately flipped to that section and made a list of things I needed to make that dish. While making the pot pies, I realized that as convenient as it is to use the crockpot, it is also a huge tease. The pot pies smelled so amazing, which made me so hungry, but as soon as I looked at the timer, I realized that I still had another 4 hours to wait! I guess it is my fault for making them on the weekend when I was home all day! Maybe I should start to use the crockpot more often while we are at work, to make meal prep super easy.

8 ounces Cremini Mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved if large
4 Carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Onion, chopped
1/3 cup Flour
2 Fresh Thyme Sprigs
1 Bay Leaf
1 1/2 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (I used breasts)
Salt and Pepper
1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed (half of a 17.3 ounce package)
1 cup Frozen Peas
1 cup Frozen Green Beans
1/3 cup Heavy Cream

In a 4-6 quart slow cooker, mix together the mushrooms, carrots, onion, flour, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 cup water. Place the chicken on top and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Cover and cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender, on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Using a 4 1/2 inch cutter or a large glass, cut the pastry into 4 circles (I just made 4 rectangles). Place the pastry on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Ten minutes before serving, add the peas, green beans, cream, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high or low until heated through, 5 to 10 more minutes; remove the bay leaf. To serve, place the chicken mixture in bowls and top with the pastry rounds.

Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie

Being from Buffalo, "buffalo" flavored meals rarely come across our dinner table. Don't get me wrong, I love blue cheese and hot sauce, but buffalo flavors just don't have much appeal to me. As it is, I only eat wings maybe once or twice a year. Now, having said that, I'm not opposed to trying things that are labeled with the "buffalo" name. This week for the recipe swap, the theme was potatoes. I was intrigued, yet nervous, when I received this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie from The Jey of Cooking. On one hand, I had made shepherd's pie in the past and I liked how this recipe had ground chicken in place of beef, but on the other hand, it had that buffalo flavor. I knew I had to make it, so I gathered the ingredients and set off to work. I have to say that this meal did not disappoint! It packed a punch from the hot sauce, and the blue cheese in the mashed potato topping had a great flavor. As good as it was for dinner (both Joel and I had seconds, which is something we never do!), it almost tasted better the next day for lunch! Even though I still feel as if "buffalo" flavored foods are gimmicky, this recipe may make me give others a second look!!

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 pound Ground Chicken
4 Celery Ribs, diced
4 Carrots, peeled and diced
1 Onion, diced
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1/4 cup Hot Sauce
4 cups Mashed Potatoes (I made these with red potatoes)
4 ounces Blue Cheese, crumbled and divided
Chives, chopped, for garnish

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and paprika. Deglaze the pan with the stock, and add the tomato paste and hot sauce. Stir to combine. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Add 2 ounces of blue cheese and a few dashes of hot sauce to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Pour the chicken mixture into a 9-inch pie plate that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon the potatoes on top, and top with the remaining 2 ounces of blue cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, until the potatoes are golden and the chicken mixture is bubbly. Sprinkle with additional smoked paprika and chopped chives. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry

Though I took a break over the holidays, I finally started back up with the weekly recipe swaps, hosted by Sarah at Taste of Home Cooking.  This week, rather than having a theme, it was decided to do a "Secret Recipe Club" style swap. I was really excited when I found that out, because I have enjoyed being a member of the SRC over the past few months.  In fact, Sarah was assigned to my blog two months ago for SRC.  So, when I got her blog this week for our swap, I was very happy! I am a follower of her blog, and I feel as though she and I have similar cooking styles. I read through many of her recipes and had quite a few on a list of potential choices, but ultimately, it came down to this stir fry. Joel loves sriaracha, so as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. Let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint! It was perfectly spicy and so versatile, in that you can change up the vegetable combination and it would still be delicious! I highly recommend this dish and look forward to making this again!

For the Marinade:
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Dry Sherry
1 tablespoon Water
1 teaspoon Sriracha 
2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

For the Stir Fry
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
6 tablespoons Water
1 tablespoon Sriracha (I may have used a tad more…)
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Oyster Sauce (I used fish sauce)
1 cup Green Beans, chopped
3 Carrots, peeled and sliced (I omitted)
1 cup Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 large Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced (I added)
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced (I added)
2 tablespoons Cooking Oil (I used canola)
2 tablespoons Ginger, grated
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

Place the chicken cubes in a plastic food storage bag (or bowl that will be covered with plastic wrap). Add the marinade ingredients and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch, water, sriracha, soy sauce, and oyster sauce; set aside. In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the vegetables and stir fry for 5 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Remove to a plate. Wipe out the wok with a wet paper towel. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok. When hot, add the ginger and garlic. After a few seconds, add the chicken mixture. Stir fry for 2-4 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked. Pour in the sauce and stir until thickened. Return the vegetables to the wok. Serve over rice (I served it along with coconut rice).

Walnut and Rosemary Oven Fried Chicken

Growing up, if we were to make chicken fingers, it was always with a pre-breaded chicken patty or nuggets that came out of a box or bag in the freezer section of a grocery store.  While those were fine then, I have never purchased one of said bags/boxes since living on my own.  I have come across recipes that seem far too easy using chicken breasts, bread crumbs, and a variety of different spices.  While I've posted a similar recipe in the past, I enjoyed the addition of the rosemary in this recipe from Elly Says Opa originally from Cooking Light. These chicken fingers, dunked in a little bbq sauce, were the perfect base for our dinner, with a side of stuffed mushroom casserole (recipe to come soon).

1/4 cup Buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
4 (6 ounce) Chicken Cutlets or Breast Halves, pounded to about 1/3 inch
1/2 cup Panko
1/3 cup Walnuts, finely chopped
2 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 1/2 tablespoon Rosemary, chopped (I used dried)
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper

Combine the buttermilk and dijon in a shallow dish.  Add the chicken, turning to coat.  In another shallow dish, combine the panko, nuts, cheese, rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture and dredge into the panko mixture.  Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange the chicken on the foil and bake at 425 degrees for 13-15 minutes, or until the chicken has been cooked through.

Chicken Parm Burgers

Last weekend was mild in temperature compared to how it should be this time of year, and that gave us the perfect excuse to fire up the grill, possibly for one last time, before winter hits hard.  While we are not big on hamburgers, Joel and I both really enjoy burgers made with ground chicken.  Perhaps it is because we like chicken better than beef, but generally we find that chicken burgers tend to be more flavorful and not as dry as their ground beef counterpart.  I had flagged this burger recipe back in May from Tracey's Culinary Adventures, originally Elly Says Opa, and had been looking for a reason to make it.    This burger did not disappoint!  Rather than serving these on hamburger buns, we made homemade bread and served these along with a slice of it.

1 pound Ground Chicken
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (I just used a blend of basil, parsley, and oregano)
1/4 cup Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped (I skipped because it didn't look good at the store)
1 Garlic Clove, finely minced
1 Shallot, finely diced (I used 1/4 of a red onion)
Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup Marinara Sauce
4 slices Fresh Mozzarella
Bread or Rolls

In a large bowl, lightly mix the chicken, parmesan, bread crumbs, seasoning, parsley, garlic, shallot, salt, and pepper.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes for the flavors to meld together.  Separate the meat mixture into 4 patties and grill until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes, flipping once during cook time.  Top each burger with a slice of mozzarella cheese and continue to cook for about 1 minute, until the cheese starts to melt.  Top with marinara sauce and serve on a roll or with a piece of crusty bread.

Spinach, Artichoke, and Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The other day, I was feeling a little creative in the kitchen.  I had some cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, and chicken, so I decided to throw them all together and make a stuffed chicken breast.  I usually don't think quick on my feet in the kitchen, and I always feel like I need to be following a recipe, so I surprised myself on this one.  The end result was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself.  I did end up cutting the one chicken breast a little bit too thin on one side, so some of the filling fell out, but that didn't change the fact that this tasted pretty delicious!

2 Chicken Breasts, butterflied

2 slices Provolone Cheese

1 small jar Artichoke Hearts (3-4 per chicken breast)

Handful of Fresh Spinach

1/2 cup Flour

1 Egg, beaten

1/2 cup Bread Crumbs

Salt & Pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

In a shallow bowl, mix the salt, pepper, and flour.  In another shallow bowl, beat the egg with a splash of water.  Place the bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl.  Butterfly each chicken breast.  Top with a piece of provolone, a handful of spinach, and a few artichoke hearts.  Roll the chicken, using toothpicks to secure each piece.  Dip the chicken in the bowl of flour and shake of any excess.  Then, dip the chicken in the egg, followed by the bread crumbs.  Heat the olive oil over medium heat in an oven proof skillet.  Place each chicken breast in the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, turning to make sure each side becomes browned.  Remove the chicken from the heat and place the skillet in an oven preheated to 375 degrees.  Bake the chicken until it is cooked through to 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 20-25 minutes.  

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

The other day, Joel mentioned something about how he liked fettuccine alfredo but wouldn't be upset if he never had it again because of how unhealthy it is.  Then, I found this recipe on Prevention RD, adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and More of America's Most Wanted Recipes.  This recipe is a lot less unhealthy than alfredo sauce is, and honestly, more delicious!  It made for a pretty quick weeknight meal, and great leftovers for lunch the next day.

1/2 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil
1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
5 (4 ounce each) Chicken Breasts
3 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
1 tablespoon Garlic, minced (4-5 cloves)
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
6 ounces Fresh Baby Spinach
1/2 cup Half and Half
4 teaspoons Cornstarch
2 cups Milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
10 ounces Linguine or Fettuccine Noodles

In a shallow pie plate, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano.  Dip each piece of chicken in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.  In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering.  Carefully place each of the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side until they are golden and browned, but not cooked all the way through.  Remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until the chicken in completely cooked through.  Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.  While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until they are al dente.  Additionally, wipe the skillet with a paper towel and return to medium heat, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sautéing for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute.  Add the broth to the skillet and simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.  In a small liquid measure, whisk together the corn starch and half and half.  Add the spinach, milk, and corn starch mixture to the skillet.  Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach has wilted and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes.  Stir in the parmesan cheese.  When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot.  Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce.  Place the pasta on each plate and top with breaded chicken breast.  Spoon some of the cheese sauce over the top of the chicken breast and serve immediately.